My aim with this body of work is to help shine a light on this misunderstood disease and, through my paintings, prints, and photography, share my experience of living with and healing Lyme Disease. 

 

Each piece of art reflects an aspect of my journey.  The acrylic paintings such as "Two Lost Souls" and "Yellow" represent a time before I knew that I had Lyme Disease, when making art had become a struggle. I was determined to paint despite the confusing visual and physical disturbances that I was experiencing and started painting large and abstractly, with a pallet knife, and with less toxic materials than my usual oils, using my fish as inspiration.

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Fish and fishbowls have been a recurring theme in my art.  They are symbolic for me on many levels, representing grace and movement, but also conveying feelings of loneliness and isolation.  In my painting "Breathe", the fish represent feelings of living outside of your element, out of sync with the world around you...like a fish out of water.

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The use of bubbles in collagraphs "Pink Bubble" and "Bubble Girl" illustrate the isolation and separation often felt when dealing with a chronic illness of any kind.  To me the bubbles also symbolize insolation and protection from the world around us.

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The trio of black and white monotype prints are my "bad guys."  They are a very small sampling of the many symptoms experienced with Lyme Diseases, as well as the healing crises you can encounter during treatment.

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The Epiphany duo, "A Mother's Vision and "A Child's Vision were inspired by my ah-ha moment when my 5year old son innocently asked me "what color are your spots mama?" This moment began my journey for answers to these bewildering symptoms that I experienced since the age of seventeen and then realizing that my son was as well.

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Although this work is about the many confusing aspects of Lyme Disease, more than anything my intension is to start a conversation about this illness and to let those who are struggling know that there really is light and hope and healing.  This hopefulness is conveyed in the painting "Only Waiting for this Moment to Arise"

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You can learn more about my journey through Lyme Disease at my blog, Lyme Green.

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